Laundry machine



May 27, 1952 J. F. HoRvATH 2,598,057

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 194e 3 Sheetsheet 1 MW ,Hnurmuurun 1 Z INVENTOR Il) f7/717 E Ham/fly ATTORNEYS May A27, 1952 J. F. HoRvATH 2,598,057

LAUNDRY MACHINE Fild Nov. 16, 1946 3 Sheets-5heet 2 37 32 INVENTOR.

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@22am 5&3, m 9% ATTORNEYS J. F. HORVATH LAUNDRY MACHINE May 27, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 16, 1946 JNVENTOR. Jaim ZHUm/d/Y BY GMZWQ, 9%

ATTKNEYS Patented May 27, 1952 LAUNDRY MACHINE John F. Horvath, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Appliance Corporation of America, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 16, 1946,'Serial No. 710,267

The present invention relates to a laundry machine and more particularly to novel means and methods of supplying washing and rinsing fluids to a laundry machine container and of expressing such fluids from the container and the material being washed therein.

The invention is particularly adapted for use with a laundry machine of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 725,299, to which reference is made for details not claimed in the present application, but it is to be understood that the present invention may be used with laundry machines of other types and kinds.

vOne object of this invention is to provide a novel nozzle in the central lower portion of the laundry container and which is adapted to supp1y` wash and rinse water to the container and to drain part of such water therefrom. Another object is to provide a novel container or tub having a perforated top portion, and a pressure diaphragm therefor that will force water from the container by causing it to overow, and then will squeeze and express the water from the material in the container and cause it to flow through the perforations in the top portion and through the nozzle.

Another object is to provide a novel fluid conduit system for a laundry machine having the above features and to provide automatic operation for such a machine.

Other objects are to provide a novel valve for controlling the nozzle, and novel vacuum breakers in the conduit system to prevent back flow 'of fluid therein. I

Further objects will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of the invention wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through a laundry machine embodying the invention with the llower part thereof in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3a is an enlarged fragmentary section of the connecting joint between the upper section of the tub and the diaphragm and the door supporting collar. f

Fig. 4 is a reduced View similar to Fig. 3 of the washing container showing the parts during washing operation.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts during extracting operation.

Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of the conduit system and the controls therefor.

s claims. (c1. ca -12) Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a vacuum breaker in position to relieve any vacuum behind the diaphragm or in the conduit system.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. '7 with the vacuum breaker in position to introduce wash or rinse water into the tub.

While my invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the laccompanying drawings, I have shown therein, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred embodiment, and wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modication and change without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, IIl represents the casing or housing of a laundry machine having an upper compartment Il housing the washing and rinsing container or tub I2,`and a lower compartment I3 housing most of the operating mechanism. The housing is preferably mounted on a base I4, and its top I5 is provided with a central opening having a depending lip I6, and is adapted to be closed by a lid I'I attached by a hinge I8 vto the under side of the top I5.

The container I2 is substantially spherical in shape and is preferably formed of a lower hemispherical section I 9 and an upper hemispherical section 2B, said sections having laterally eX- tending flanged edges which are welded together to form the container I2. The lower container section I9 is provided with a bottom central opening and with two diametrically opposite ribs 2l, 2| extending upwardly from such opening to the upper edge of the lower section. The vertical center lines of these ribs are in the same vertical plane and these ribs are each preferably formed integrally with the tub lower section, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper container section 20 is provided with a top central opening and with two diametrically opposite ribs 22, 22 extending upwardly from the lower edge of the section to a point adjacent to but spaced slightly from said opening. The vertical center lines of ribs 22, 22 are in the same plane and form continuations of the ribs 2I 2l when the sections are joined. The opening in the top is formed in a collar 23 attached as by bolts to an annular ring 24 between which collar and ring the upper edge of the upper section of the tub is clamped by said bolts.

. The collar 23 is `provided with an upturned lip 25 around the perimeter ofthe opening, and perforated door 26 is pivotally attached by a springpressed bolt 21 to the under side of collar 23. Door.26 isvmovable by handle .23 V hinged@ .the

3 top of the door and provides a closure for the opening in the collar.

The container or tub is iixedly secured at its central bottom to a support member 29 on the top of a shaft 39, said support member being provided with a circular depression or well 3| in its top from which extends a threaded opening 32 which leads to an opening 93y in its side. A iitting 3d is threaded into the opening 33 and to it is connected a flexible hose 35 for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully explained. A. nozzle 36 is threaded into the opening 32, this nozzle, as shown in Fig. 3, having a central bore 31 from which drain passages 38 extend to the exterior of the nozzle. perforated head 39 threadedly attached to its top, and the reduced lower end 49 threaded into a reduced diameter of opening 32 in the member 29 forms a shoulder portion 4|.

A compression diaphragm 42 is adapted to be received in and cover the interior surface of the container or tub, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This diaphragm fits snugly over the ribs lin the container and may be of rubber or other flexible ma- Its upper edge is secured to the upper terial. part of the container section 29, and is bent over to extend between the collar 23 and thev exterior of the upper container section 29, and is clamped therebetween, and is also clamped between ring 24 and the interior of the tub, by the bolts passing therethrough. Its lower end is provided with a circular opening having a flange t3` extending therefrom which is bent over the adjacent edge of the container and clamped between the shoulder 4l of the nozzle and the bottom face of the f depression 3l, by screwing the nozzle downwardly thereagainst.

A pipe P is provided to conduct hot water and a pipe 44 with branch 45 is provided to conduct cold water to a mixing valve 4,6 inthe lower compartment I3. This valve is controlled by a handley 41 preferably located on the top of the casing. From this valve a pipe 48 leads to a pipe 49 one end of which communicates with a valved chamber member 59 which also carries a selector valve member 5l, From chamber 59 extends a pipe 52 having a vacuum breaker 53. From this vacuum breaker a pipe 54 connects with the hose 35 leading to the nozzle 3E previously referred to.

The cold water pipe 44 leads to a pipe 55 the opposite ends of which are connected to the rinse water supply valve 55 and the pressure fluid supply valve 51. The pipe 49 connects the rinse valve 59 with the chamber 59 of the selector valve 5l, and pipe 58 leads from the pressure fluid valve 51 to a vacuum breaker 59 from which leads a pipe 99 leading to pipes 6l and 62 both of which are connected to pipe 63. Secured in pipe 52 is a check valve 65. One end of pipe 63 is connected to a hose 55 which in turn is attached to a fitting 51 communicating with interior of the lower tub section I9 (see Fig. 3). The other end of pipe B3 is connected to a part of the pressure fluid drain valve B8. From the other side of this drain valve a pipe 69 leads to a drain pump 19.

Connected by a suitable fitting to pipe 54 is a pipe 1I connected to the chamber 12 of the selector valve member 5i. Extending from the other side of chamber 12 is a pipe 13 connected to pipe 14 which at its upper end is connected to the bottom of the compartment Il within which the container is mounted. The lower end of pipe 14 is connected to pipe E9 which as stated above leads to the drain pump 10.

Mounted in the compartment i3 of the ma- The nozzle has a hollow conical i chine housing is an electric motor 15 connected with an electrical circuit 16-11, lead 11 of which extends to the terminal 18, and lead 16 of which extends through the switch 19 to the line 89 which leads to the terminal 8i. Terminals 18 and 8| are preferably connected in a suitable plug adapted to be inserted in a wall socket or the like to receive electric current from any suitable source of supply. Switch 19 when closed contacts terminals 82 and 83 and when open breaks this connection to the motor.

Belt 84 is driven by motor 'l5 to rotate the pulley 85. which has a shaft 89 extending into the speed reducing gear casing 81 which is provided with speed reducing gearing of any suitable type, for example such as that shown and described in my said copending application, Serial No. 725,299, which isnot being specifically claimed in this application and hence need not be described in detail. Sulcient to say that rotation of shaft 36 causes rotation cf opstanding. shaft 39y at a suitable speed for the Idesired rate of oscillation 0f the container or tub, and the speed reducing gearing referred to rotates the upstanding control shaft 89` at a much slower speed.

This speed ratio between the shafts 39 and 88 is selected so that the speed of shaft 88 is sufciently slow to obtain the desired operating time for the various operations occurring during one complete cycle (one rotation of shaft 88) of introducing cleansing liquid into the container, cleansing the material to becleansed in the container, draining the cleansing liquid from the container and squeezing the. materialbeing. cleansed to extract liquid therefrom, introducing rinsing liquid into the container, agitating the material in the container with the rinse liquid, draining the rinse liquid from the tub, and squeezing the rinse liquid from said material..

These control cams are so ii-xed and arranged on the control shaft 88 that during a single. comis rotated by the gear 99 fixed to the starter hanv die shaft 9i operated by the rotatable handle H. Rotation of handle H a suitable distance gives a selective amount of rotation to shaft 88 and all of the cams fixed thereto as will be understood in my said copending application 725,299. The top v cam 92 is formed with a depression 93 within which seats the end of arm 94v connected to stem 95 of switch 19. When the free end of arm 94 rests within the depression 93, the switch 19 is opened to disengage contacts 82 and 83 and stop the motor. When cam 92 is rotated with shaft 88 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from V above, the free end of arm,94 rises up onto the higher peripheral portion of the cam, which moves arm 94 outwardly and closes switch 19 to start the motor.

Cam 95 is provided with two raised portions 91 and 99 and two depressed portions 99 and IUD. Opposite cam 99 is a pivoted follower 19| engageable with a valve stem 102 upon which are mounted at fixed spaced distances apart the cleansing and rinsing liquid introducing valve within chamber 59, and the cleansing and rinsing liquid drain valve controlling the chamber 12.

Cam 193 is provided with a single raised portion 94 and an extended depressed portion 105. Opposite cam |53 is a pivoted follower |919 enaccenti"t gageable with stem |01 of thevalve controlling the chamber within member 56.

Cam I 08 is formed with two raised portions |09 and H and two depressions and ||2. Opposite cam |00 is a pivoted follower ||3 engageable with the stern H4 upon which is carried a valve controlling the chamber in member 51.

Cam ||5 is provided With two raised portions ||6 and ||1 and two depressed portions ||8 andi |I6. -Opposite cam I l5 is a pivoted controller |20 which is engageable with the stem |2| carrying a valve for controlling the compartment in the member 65.

Each o'f the controller arms 945, |0l, |06, H3, and |20 are resiliently urged toward its respective cam so that when the free end of these controller arms drops 01T from one of the high spots in the..

cam it will make contact with the depressed peripheral edge portion of the cam. Y

In Figs. 7 -and 8 is shown a vacuum breake embodying the construction of 4 the vacuum breakers 53V and 56. Each `of these vacuum breakers is provided with a casing |22 having in one endan inlet opening |23 and in its side wall an opening |24. These openings are adapted to receive the ends of the pipes leading thereto and therefrom. The upperl end of the vacuum breaker is provided with a threaded opening |25 into which is threaded the member |26 provided with a central opening |21. Fixed to the interior of the neck |28 ofthe casing |22.and extending upwardly into the enlarged chamber |29 is the upper endv of the inlet-tube, `which is provided with a slidablymounted cup-shaped valve |3| having a downwardly extending flange 133. The

ange |33 has inwardly directed projections |34.' which-are spaced around its circumference and' slidablyccntact the outer surface-of the tube to maintain the' tubeand flange in spaced relationship so as to Yfurther `facilitate the passage of water throughY the tube into chamber |29 and out.

through the outlet opening |24.; When liquid is being introduced into either the interior of the tubV through one of these V-vacuumbreakers or between the diaphragm and the inside of the tub wall through the other vacuum breakenthe pressure of this liquid will force the rubber washer |35 of valve |3| upwardly against the bottom face of plug |26 so as to close the opening |21 and prevent theescape of liquid to the exterior of the casing |22. When, however, the liquid is being drained either out of the interior of the tub or out'of the space between the diaphragm and the tub wall the valve memberl 3| -will move downwardly under either gravity or suction or both, and open the hole |21 in plug |26 and thus instantly break any vacuum that might be caused in the pipe system and thus eiectively prevent any back ow of liquid'into the piping' or conduit system.

' In the operation of the laundry machine of the present invention the door 26 in the upper portion ofthe container or tub is opened and clothes or othermaterial to be cleansed are put into the tub or container. At this time the container or tub is stationary. The material to be cleansed may be placed in the tub either before or after introduction of the cleansing liquid as desired. Assuming the material to be cleansed as having been put inthe tub rst, the handle 41 is then turned to the desired indication of cold, warm or hot, to admit water of the desired temperature from the mixing valve 46 through pipes 48, 49,

chamber 50 (its valve then being open), pipes 52, vacuum breaker 53, pipe 54,-hose 35, and nozzle asintothe tubro'ue desired 1eve1therin-ffrh mixing valve 46 is then shut off by'handle 4'l` and any desired amount of detergent isvadded to the water in the tub.

The tub door 26 is then closed and locked, andV the lid of the housing is closed. The oscillation.

of the tub is` next started. This is accomplished by turning the starter handle H to the desiredv causesoscillation of shaft'30. The tub may oscil."

late through any desired angle, preferably approximately degrees, at a relatively slow speed, Which speed is continuously maintained throughout the washing, extracting and rinsing operations. Y l

y Beiore'starting the operation of the motor, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, it being kept in mind that all of the cams referred to above are ixed to rotate with the control shaft 68. From Fig.- 6 it will be noted that prior to starting the motor the double valve |02 is so positioned as to open the inlet pipe line to the interior of the tub and close the other one of these two valves to prevent drainage of liquid out of the tub.v At this time the rinse valve cam |03 is in position to close the rinse valve and the high pressure fluid supply cam |08 is in position to close the valve controlling the high pressure vfluid supply. Also the high pressure vrluid drain cam'l i5 is in position to open the high pressure fluid drain valve |2| which will be the position it last occupied at the stopping of the motor following the completion of the previous cycle.

As soon as the cleansing operation has been completed this time being controlled by the extent to which the starter handle H has been rotated, the combined wash and rinse water supply cam 56 will have rotated to the position to raise controller arm |6| onto the raised peripheral portion'61 which will close the liquid inlet valve in chamber 50 and open the drain outlet valve in chamber 12. The cleansing liquid is then drained through the nozzle 36, the hose 35, pipe 1|, chamber 12, pipes 13, 1Q, 69, and through the drain pump 10 tothe dra-in. This drain pump is operated continuously during the operation of the laundry machine.

the high peripheral portion |06, as viewed inFig. 6, open valve ||4. This admits high pressure fluid through the operating high pressure pump 64 into the space behind the ilexible diaphragm 42 which is the space between the diaphragm and the interior of the tub. This path of water or liquid is from valve ||4 through pipe 58, vacuum breaker 59, and pipes 66, 6|, 02, and 63, through the operation of the high pressure pump 64. This high pressure fluid is preferably cold water and is admitted through pipe 44 to pipe 55,through valvey ||4, and thence through the piping 58 to 63 as described above. This inow of high pressure water instantly closes the vacuum breaker 56 and prevents any of this water from escaping to the outside oi' this pipe line. After leaving high pressure pump 64 this liquid passes upwardly Substantially simultaneously'- ,with the opening of the drain valve from the tub Y interior, the high pressure uid supply cam |08` will, through the raising of the controller |3 by through the hose 66 and connection 61 into said space behind the diaphragm. It should here be noted that at the time that cam |08 opens the high pressure fluid supply valve the cam H has rotated to drop controller `arm onto the depressed edge H8, thus closing the high pressure fluid drain valve |2|. This causes the diaphragm to be pushed inwardly against the material being cleansed to squeeze the contained liquid therefrom, this operation being simultaneously accompanied by the draining from the tub of the cleansing liquid. As soon as the squeezing of the material being cleansed is completed to the desired degree, the high pressure fluid supply cam |93 reaches a point Where the follower ||3 drops down onto the depressed peripheral edge which closes the high pressure fluid supply valve H4.

The cam @G is then rotated to a point to engage the controller arm Il with the depressed peripheral edge 99 which opens the liquid supply valve |92 and closes the outer one of these two valves in the chamber l2, to admit cold rinse water through the pipes d4, 4S, d2, 54, 35 into the tub, it 4being kept in mind that at this time the high peripheral edge l of cam IBS has opened valve |01'. It should be remembered that after introducing the warm or hot cleansing water into the tub the mixing valve 46 remains closed hence the rinse water comes from the cold water pipe 44. The arrangement ofparts shown in Fig. 6 is such as to enable admitting rinse Water to the container or tub, which rinse water lls and overflows the container in a continuous stream and is not shut off until the cams have been rotated a predetermined distance at which .time the rinse valve is closed simultaneously with the closing of the container drain valve and the opening of the high pressure uid supply valve to start collapsing of the diaphragm. It is to be noted that the oscillation of the spherical container or tub is a continuous action, which oontinues through the entire cycle of the machine. As soon as the rinsing is completed, the controller arm by reason of riding from the depressed edge 99 onto the high edge d3 opens the drain valve in chamber l2 and permits the rinse water to be drained out through pipes 35, 1|, "F3, M, and S9 through the drain pump lil. At this time the vacuum breaker 53 is open so that no cleansing or rinse liquid can possibly flow back into pipe line 52.

Simultaneously with the opening of the drain valve in the chamber 'l2 high pressure duid supply valve H4 is opened by its cam |08 and the high pressure duid introduced through the pipe lines 58, 6|), high pressure pump Gli and pipe line 63 and 66 into the space behind the diaphragm. This causes the diaphragm to move inwardly as shown in Fig. 5 and squeeze the rinse water from the material being cleansed. When this operation has been completed (which as stated earlier is controlled by the position and extent of the cam oifsets) the high pressure fluid drain valve |21 is opened by reason of its cam l l5 to drain this high pressure fluid out from behind the diaphragm to the drain pump 1D, it being understood that simultaneously the cam Ilia by its complemental depressed portion has closed the high pressure huid supply valve Hl.

The clothes or other material being washed are now ready to be removed from the tub, which is effected by opening the lid l1 and the tub door 26. Upon removal of the clothes or other material being washed from the tub, the machine is then ready to repeat the 'above described cycle of washing, extracting, rinsing, and extracting referred to. Upon completion of the draining of the high pressure fluid from behind the diaphragm, the cam 92 has reached the point where the controller arm 9d drops into the depressionr 93 and stops the motor. The next cycle is started when desired by rotating the starting handle and moving the controller arm 94 out of the depression S3 as described earlier herein.

I claim:

1. In a laundry machine, an oscillatable container formed of two hemispherical portions each having an outwardly extending annular ange, said flanges being tightly xed together to prevent leakage therethrough of liquid from the interior of the container, one of said hemispherical portions having an axial opening in its bottom portion and a pair of oppositely positioned, inner ribs extending from approximately said opening to the respective flange, and the other hemispherical portion having a pair of similar ribs each extending from its respective flange to an upper interior portion of that hemispherical portion, the two ribs of each pair being in alinement and continuous from top to bottom, a ilexible diaphragm fixed to the inner surface of the upper hemispherical portion at the top of its ribs, said diaphragm having an opening concentric With said axial opening, a nozzle within the container, a support member on which the con'- tainer is mounted, said diaphragm and container being tightly clamped between the nozzle base and the support member.

2. A laundry machine comprising, an oscillatable spherical tub having ribs on its interior surface, a ilexible diaphragm in said tub, a nozzle in the bottom of the tub, a support member on which the tub is mounted, said nozzle and support member having intercommunicating passageways for forcing cleansing liquid into and draining it from the tub through the nozzle, said support member being fixed to an oscillating shaft for oscillating the tub.

3. A laundry machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the bottom portion of the diaphragm is non-leakably clamped between the nozzle, the tub and the support member.

4. In a laundry machine, an oscillatable container, an upstanding, perforated, conical nozzle in the bottom of the container, a flexible diaphragm xed to the bottom of the container around the bottom portion of the nozzle, means for forcing the side Walls of the diaphragm inwardly toward each other to squeeze cleansing' liquid out of material being cleansed in the container, said nozzle having perforations in its upper surface to receive and drain said liquid being squeezed out of said material, a shaft for oscillating the container, a support member fixed to said shaft and upon which the container is mounted, said diaphragm being formed with an opening, said container being formed with an opening, the marginal portions of the container and diaphragm around said openings being clamped between the nozzle and said support.

5. In a laundry machine, an oscillatable container, an upstanding, perforated, conical nozzle in the bottom of the container, a flexible diaphragm fixed to the bottom of the container around the bottom portion of the nozzle, means for forcing the side Walls of the diaphragm inwardly toward each other to squeeze cleansing liquid out of material being cleansed in the container, said nozzle having perforations in its upper surface to receive and drain said liquid being squeezed out of said material, a shaft for oscillating the container, a support member fixed to the shaft for supporting the container, said nozzle having a threaded tubular stem, and said support member having a threaded opening into which said threaded stem is screwed to grip the diaphragm and container. between the nozzle and said support member.

6. In a laundry machine, an oscillatable container, an upstanding, perforated, conical nozzle in the bottom of the container, a iiexible diaphragm fixed to the bottom of the container around the bottom portion of the nozzle, means for forcing the side walls of the diaphragm inwardly toward each other to squeeze cleansing liquid out of material being cleansed in the con tainer, said nozzle having perforations in its upper surface to receive and drain said liquid being squeezed out of said material, a shaft for oscillating the container, a support member fixed to the shaft for supporting the container, said nozzle having a threaded tubular stem, and said supe port member having a threaded opening into which said threaded stem is screwed to grip the diaphragm and container between the nozzle and said support member, said support member having a depression, of larger diameter than that of said threaded opening, in which the adjacent portions of the container and diaphragm are seated when gripped between the nozzle and support member.

7. In a laundry machine, an oscillatable container, an upstanding, perforated, conical nozzle in the bottom of the container, a flexible diaphragm fixed to the bottom of the container around the bottom portion of the nozzle, means for forcing the side walls of the diaphragm inwardly toward each other to squeeze cleansing liquid out of material being cleansed in the container, said nozzle having perforations in its upper surface to receive and drain said liquid being squeezed out of said material, the bottom of the container and diaphragm being formed with concentric openings, the marginal portions of the container around its opening being extended downwardly and inwardly to form an annular depressed lip, and the marginal portions of the diaphragm around its opening being bent around and under said lip, a support member having a depression to receive said lip and dia- 10 phragm bent portion, said nozzle being fastened into said support member to tightly grip said lip and diaphragm portion therebetween.

8. A laundry machine comprising, an oscillatable tub, a perforated nozzle in the bottom of said tub, a motor, a drive shaft driven from the motor for oscillating the tub, a control shaft, a conduit system for introducing cleansing liquid and rinse liquid into the tub through said nozzle and draining it therefrom, cams on said control shaft for controlling steps in a cycle of operations, one of said cams having two circumferentially spaced low portions and two circumferentially spaced high portions. a follower for said one of said cams, a Valve member having two chambers and two valves and a common valve stem constantly in engagement with said follower, said conduit system including 'two branches, one of said branches leading from one of said chambers to said nozzle, and the other of said branches leading from the nozzle to the other one of said chambers, whereby when one of the valves of said Valve member is open and the other closed cleansing liquid may be manually introduced into the conduit system and thence into the tub through the' nozzle, and when the positions of the valves in the double valve member are reversed cleansing liquid may be drained from the tub through the nozzle.

' JOHN F. HORVATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

